It was a peculiar session for a Delhi court on Wednesday when 13 parrots were 'produced' before it. Yes! You read that right.
You might be wondering whether the parrots have committed a crime? Well, they haven't.
The parrots were produced in the court after an Uzbek national -- Anvarjon Rakhmatjonov -- was arrested by the CISF at the Indira Gandhi International Airport for trying to smuggle them out of the country.
The live parrots were recovered from different shoe boxes.
"Under the law, any case property or those having a connection to the case should be produced before the court. The parrots were produced in the court for handing over to wildlife officials as they were live birds," said PC Sharma, lawyer, customs.
"The accused, who was caught, was trying to smuggle the parrots from India. The customs have registered a case. According to the Wildlife Act, the export of parrots is prohibited," he said.
The accused was also produced before the court and was pleading for bail. But the court refused to grant him relief and was sent to judicial custody till October 30.
The court passed an order and said that all parrots should be sent to Okhla Birds Sanctuary.
During interrogation, the accused told the CISF that he had purchased these parrots from a vendor in Old Delhi. He revealed that he was smuggling them out of the country because of their high demand in Uzbekistan.
( With inputs from ANI )